Locomotive sand pipe guard



United States Patent 3,112,942 LGCQMOTIVE SAND PEPE GUARD Mike Uadislri, RD. ll, Box 1, Seward, Pa.

Filed Aug. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 217,181 Claims. ((31. 291-41) This invention relates to an anti-splash mud flap or guard which is expressly designed and adapted for practical and reliable use in conjunction with a sand pipe and traction wheel on a locomotive, for example, a diesel or electrically powered mine-type locomotive.

Briefly summarized the concept is regarded as original in that it pertains to a novel combination; namely, a mine locomotive embodying, among other components a chassis having track engaging and supporting wheels, a depending gravity-type sand delivery pipe for at least one wheel, said pipe being adjacent and in alignment with said wheel and having a discharge end directed toward an intended peripheral portion of said wheel but being spaced therefrom, and an anti-splash guard supported from said chassis and depending into said space being thus interposed between said peripheral portion and said discharge end and serving to prevent mud, water and debris thrown from the wheel from entering and clogging the sand discharge end of said sand pipe.

Anti-splash guards and shields for use in conjunction with wheels on conveyances and vehicles are old and well 'known. It is also common practice to provide a traction or drive wheel with a container of sand and a sand pipe having a nozzle which functions to direct the sand by forces of gravity toward and for use in conjunction with the traction surface of a complemental wheel. As a matter of fact and to be a little more specific, it is common practice to equip a mine locomotive (diesel or electrically powered) with fore and aft drive wheels and to provide a sand delivery pipe which discharges the same on the track rails in a manner to guard against slippage and to promote safe and reliable traction.

However and notwithstanding the safeguards which have been adopted and are being followed in current mining practices reliable results are by no means assured. This is to say it is common indeed to repeatedly encounter a situation wherein the discharge end of the sand delivery pipe fails to function because of the fact that it has become clogged by water, mud and extraneous matter thrown against it by the adjacent locomotive wheel. It follows, therefore, that it is an objective in the instant matter to not merely recognize the problem and attending dangers, but to solve the problem through the medium of a simple, practical and economical sand pipe guard.

As is perhaps evident to the reader a practical solution of the problem has already been revealed in the brief summarization above set forth. However, and to be more explicit the chief improvement resides in the adoption and use of an appropriate anti-splash flap or guard which is suitable for use in a position between the discharge end of the sand pipe and adjacent segmental peripheral portion of the associated drive wheel. By combining the function of the guard with the wheel and sand pipe the thus-positioned guard contributes its clog-resisting function with the primary functions of the wheel and sand pipe whereby to thus effectually increase the efficiency of operation of the wheel and sand pipe without interfering with the normal purpose and function thereof.

Another objective advantage has to do with the combination of a wheel, sand pipe and intervening coacting clogresisting guard or shield whereby to thus provide a structural combination which results in the saving of valuable time and labor, maximizes reliable and safeguarded functioning of the sand pipe and consequently guards against wheel slippage particularly when the brake is applied on "ice a sloping track during either the ascending or descending of the locomotive thereon.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating an electrically controlled mine locomotive such as is susceptible of moving on the track in either direction and which is improved by the addition thereto of anti-splash shields or guards;

FIGURE 2 is a view on a larger scale and which serves to bring out, somewhat more clearly, the wheel, sand pipe and guard combination;

FIGURE 3 is a view observing the invention in a direction from one end, for example, a fragmentary elevational view based on FIG. 2 and looking at the same in a direction from left to right; and

FIGURE 4 is a view with the parts in section and illustrating the yieldable character of the shield or guard.

With reference now to the views of the drawing the vehicle, which is in the present disclosure a mine locomotive is denoted generally by the numeral 6. Locomotives in this field of endeavor vary in construction and are powered by diesel fuel or, as is generally the case, by electricity. Since the specific details of the overall locomotive are of no particular consequence here it will suffice, looking toward an understanding of the subject matter of the invention, to observe that the numeral 8 in FIG. 2 designates a wheel supported chassis. As shown in FIG. 1 there are fore and aft wheels which, being conventional, are denoted at ill and 12 and have their traction affording peripheral surfaces engageable with the rails 14 of the track 16. With a view toward simplifying the presentation here the single wheel arrangement depicted in FIG. 2 will be referred to in particular. This is to say, the peripheral surface 18 is flanged and adapted to ride along the tread of the rail in a customary manner. The gravity-type sand pipe is denoted at 26 and has its upper end communicable with a sand box or other source of supply which is not here detailed. In fact, the sand pipe in conjunction with the associated wheel is old and well known as already suggested. In fact, the nozzle-like discharge end 22 is customarily curved and positioned in relation to the head of the rail and periphery of the wheel to discharge sand under forces of gravity in a well known manner. However, and as suggested the trouble has been that the wheel 12 in action and as a result of centrifugal forces throws water, mud and debris, in general, against the sand pipe and consequently the discharge end gets clogged up and when the user desires sand it refuses to flow and consequently puts the lives of the occupants of the locomotive in jeopardy. The aforementioned clog-resisting shield or anti-splash guard is denoted generally by the numeral 24 and it comprises a rectangular strip of flexibly resilient rubber or plastic material which is of a crosssectional width greater than the cross-sectional dimension of the drive wheel 12 as illustrated in FIG. 3. It is of a length that the lower edge 26 terminates in a plane below the discharge end 22 but above the contact point of the periphery 18 of the wheel 12. The guard flap proper is denoted by the numeral 28 and the upper end portion by the numeral 36. The latter end portion is bolted or otherwise securely attached as at 32 to a depending vertical flange 34 of an adaptable attaching bracket or fixture 36. The horizontal flange 38 is bolted or otherwise anchored as at 49 on the relatively stationary part 42 of the chassis. It follows that by locating this flexibly resilient shield in the space between the discharge end 22 and peripheral surface of the drive wheel 12; the func tions of these parts are rendered more efficient and reliable.

The size of the shield will be governed by the wheel and rail size and will be particularly useful on electric mine locomotives or diesel-electric locomotives but at the same time adaptable to any type locomotive.

The primary advantages are the saving of time in man hours, the safety factor in opening clogged sand pipes, the assurance of a good supply of free running sand when ascending a grade under power to prevent wheel slippage, and the prevention of wheels locking when descending a grade when the brake is applied.

It is believed that the invention herein shown and described will aptly and satisfactorily serve the purposes for which it is intended. It is further thought that the features and advantages, manner of installation and mode of operation will be clear after having considered the specification and claimed invention in conjunction with the fi ures of the drawing. Consequently, a more extended description is regarded as unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a locomotive chassis having track engaging and supporting wheels, a depending gravitytype track sanding sand delivery pipe for at least one of said wheels, said pipe being adjacent and in alignment with said wheel and having a discharge end directed toward an intended peripheral portion of said wheel but being spaced therefrom, and an anti-splash guard supported from said chassis and depending into said space and being thus interposed between said peripheral portion and said discharge end and serving to prevent mud, water and debris thrown from said wheel from entering and clogging the sand discharge end of said sand pipe.

2. The structure according to claim 1, and wherein 4- said guard comprises a mud flap which is bracketed to an underneath surface of said chassis, said flap being of an area to effectually intercept debris and, being flexible, yieldable and functioning to fiex itself to minimize the likelihood of self-damage if and when accidentally colliding with a relatively stationary rigid object.

3. The structure according to claim 1, and wherein said guard comprises a flexibly resilient fiap constituting a sheld, the latter being of ample size to provide a yieldable mud barrier between the sand pipe and wheel, said guard having its upper end secured to an attaching bracket and the latter being attached to an underneath side of said chassis and properly oriented in relation to said wheel, said pipe, and said underneath side.

4. The structure defined in claim 1 and wherein said guard comprises a flap made from sheet material the latter having both flexible and resilient properties, said flap being substantially rectangular in elevation and of a length and having a freely movable lower end which normally depends to a plane below the terminal plane of the discharge end of said sand delivery pipe, and also being of a. width appreciably greater than the cross-sectional width of said wheel, and an attaching bracket secured to an underneath side of said chassis and having a fixed functioning position between a cooperating upper portion of said sand pipe and an adjacent cooperating peripheral portion of said wheel, the upper portion of the guard being operatively mounted on said bracket and the lower end of said guard being freely movable relative to the wheel and sand pipe.

5. The structure defined in claim 4 and wherein said bracket is angular in cross-section, the same being provided with a horizontal attaching flange which is detachably mounted on the underneath side of the chassis, and having a depending vertical flange on which the cooperating upper end portion of said guard is superimposed and detachably mounted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN COMBINATION, A LOCOMOTIVE CHASSIS HAVING TRACK ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING WHEELS, A DEPENDING GRAVITYTYPE TRACK SANDING SAND DELIVERY PIPE FOR AT LEAST ONE OF SAID WHEELS, SAID PIPE BEING ADJACENT AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID WHEEL AND HAVING A DISCHARGE END DIRECTED TOWARD AN INTENDED PERIPHERAL PORTION OF SAID WHEEL BUT BEING SPACED THEREFROM, AND AN ANTI-SPLASH GUARD SUPPORTED FROM SAID CHASSIS AND DEPENDING INTO SAID SPACE AND BEING THUS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID PERIPHERAL PORTION AND SAID DISCHARGE END AND SERVING TO PREVENT MUD, WATER AND DEBRIS THROWN FROM SAID WHEEL FROM ENTERING AND CLOGGING THE SAND DISCHARGE END OF SAID SAND PIPE. 